Electrical connector

ABSTRACT

An electrical connector which establishes gripping electrical contact with a conductor and which can be plugged into an electrical jack opening and resiliently maintained in electrically conducting contact with boundaries of the jack opening. The connector includes relatively movable gripping jaws urged together by biasing means whereby the jaws can grip a conductor inserted between them. At least one spring construction is disposed on an externally facing portion of the jaws for resiliently engaging a boundary of a jack opening and establishing electrical contact between the jaws and the boundary of the jack opening.

United States Patent [72] lnventors Charles J. Vierek, Sr.

P.O. Box 1036, Jupiter, Fla. 33458; Charles Vierek, Jr., 404 N.E. 4th Ave., Gainesville, Fla. 32601 [21] Appl. No. 807,258 [22] Filed Mar. 14, 1969 [4S] Patented Sept. 14, 1971 [54] ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR 10 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 339/32 R, 3391108 TP, 339/252 P, 339/261 5 1] Int. Cl 1101-- 29/00 [50] Field 01 Search 339/108 TP, 252, 260, 261, 31, 32, 33

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,480,847 1/1924 Walker 339/261 3,188,605 6/1965 Slenker 339/213 3,374,455 3/1968 Sullivan et al. 339/31 3,193,788 7/1965 Brown 339/18 FOREIGN PATENTS 473,289 10/1937 GreatBritain Primary Examiner-Joseph H. McGlynn Attorney-Watts, Hotfmann, Fisher & Heinke PATENTEUSEF? 419m /2/ lie/a INVENTORS CHARLES J. V/ERCK 3?. BY CHARLES J, V/ERCK JR.

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to electrical connectors and more particularly relates to electrical connectors which are readily detachable from associated conductors, such as wires and electrical jack opening.

2. Prior Art Electrical connectors for temporarily establishing electrical connections are universally utilized where breadboard" or similar temporary circuits are constructed. Hence, where temporary or testing circuitry is in use, large numbers of these connectors are required. I

Connectors of the type referred to are frequently of the male type which are inserted in a jack opening or similar electrical receptacle, or are of the clip type for gripping a conductor such as a wire or terminal. These connectors are frequently permanently attached at both ends of an insulated lead wire to form a lead assembly or lead. These leads are of various lengths to permit selection of an appropriately sized lead for connection between conductors spaced a given distance apart.

Frequently three distinct lead constructions are required: (1) leads having male-plug-type connectors at both ends; (2) leads having clip-type connectors at both ends; and (3) leads having a clip connector at one end and a plug connector at the other. Since many jacks or other receptacles are not suitably constructed to be gripped by a clip-type connector and satisfactory electrical contact is usually not obtainable between a plug connector and a wire, the selection of the appropriate lead for establishing a given connection is frequently a problem. This is particularly true when a long or short lead is required for making a given connection and the supply of that particular type and length lead is exhausted. In such cases rewiring of at least one other connection is required. In order to avoid such problems, large numbers of various types and length leads are frequently required to be inventoried.

The problem is further aggravated by the fact that there are various standard size jack openings and plugs, thus often requiring the availability of additional leads.

The prior art has attempted to solve this problem by constructing clip-type connectors having sockets which receive a plug connector attached to a lead. These individual clip connectors are easily mislaid and lost. Furthermore, the appropriate size plug for the socket in a particular clip-type connector must be selected. These constructions have not satisfactorily dealt with the problem.

Other prior art proposals have utilized rather complex dualpurpose clips having large numbers of movable parts requiring relatively complex manufacturing operations. These proposed constructions have accordingly been expensive and of somewhat limited capability when used to clip onto certain conductors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a new electrical connector which is of simple and inexpensive construction and which is usable as a clip connector as well as a plug-type connector. Use of the new connector substantially reduces the number of leads required to be inventoried since the same type of connector can be used at each end of each lead.

A connector constructed according to the invention includes electrically conductive jaws which enable the connector to be clipped to a conductor such as a wire or terminal. The connector also includes structure for connecting the jaws for relative movement from a closed position in which the jaws coextend adjacent each other to an open position in which the conductor can be received between them. A biasing construction resiliently urges the jaws into gripping engagement with the conductor to assure a firm, electrically conducting connection between the jaws and the conductor.

The new connector is insertable into an electrical jack opening or similar receptacle and is firmly maintained in the opening to assure a good electrical connection between the connector and a conductive boundary of the jack opening. The jaws are elongate members which, in the closed position, coextend adjacent each other to define a generally cylindrical nose on the connector. A resiliently deflectable surface is provided on at least one jaw for resiliently engaging the boundary of the opening into which the nose of the connector is inserted. This resilient surface is deflected upon insertion of the connector in the opening to provide a tight frictional engagement between the connector and boundary as well as to urge the boundary and connector into electrical contact.

In a preferred embodiment the resilient surface is an electrically conductive leaf spring element. One such element is attached to each jaw and the spring elements themselves establish a conductive path between the jack boundary and the jaws.

The jaws and spring elements can be formed by stamping and appropriately bending a single sheet metal blank. Alternatively, the spring elements can be attached to the jaws after their formation.

After formation, the connectors are attached to ends of a lead wire in a suitable manner such as by soldering or brazing.

A principal object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved electrical connector which is of simple construction, low cost, and is effective to enable substantial reductions in inventories of leads by establishing plugand clip-type electrical connections as desired.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments made in reference to the accompanying drawing which form a part of the specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is an elevational view of an electrical connector embodying the present invention with parts shown in cross section;

FIG. 2 is a plan view ofa part of the connector of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view seen approximately from the plane indicated by the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an electrical jack or similar receptacle having a connector embodying the present invention inserted therein and in which only a part of the connector is shown;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of a modified connector constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5A is an elevational view of the connector of FIG. 5, shown gripping a wire;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a connector of FIG. 5 in one stage of its manufacture; and,

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of another type of connector embodying the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A lead assembly 10 embodying the present invention is illustrated in FIG. I. The lead assembly 10 is formed by a stranded lead wire 11, an electrical connector I2, and insulating structure l3 surrounding portions of the connector I2.

The connector 12 includes conductive sheet metal members I4, 15 and a support assembly I6 for the connection of the lead wire II through the members I4, 15. The assembly 16 additionally forms an insulated handle for the lead assembly. Since the assembly 16 is of a conventional commercially available type, it is not described in detail.

The sheet metal members I4, 15 support jaws I7, 18, respectively, remote from the support assembly I6. The jaws I7, I8 are preferably constructed of a highly conductive, tough, sheet metal material, such as laboratory quality stainless steel, and are suitably fixed to the members I4, I5, for example by welding or brazing.

Each of the jaws has a generally U-shaped cross section, FIG. 3, and the ends of the legs of these U-shaped cross sections are serrated along the length of the jaws to define teeth, generally indicated at 20. As is best seen in FIG. 3 the diametrical extent of the jaw 18 is smaller than the diametrical extent of the jaw 17 and when the jaws 17, 18 are in the closed position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the jaws coextend with the jaw 18 partially received between the teeth of the jaw 17.

The closed jaws define an elongate generally cylindrical nose 22 of the connector projecting away from the members l4, 15. The diametrical size of the nose 22 is slightly smaller than the diameter of a given, standard electrical jack opening as is described in greater detail presently. Although the teeth of the jaws I7, 18 are shown overlapping in FIGS. 1-3 and this in the preferred construction, it is apparent that the jaws can be constructed so that the teeth mesh, particularly if a larger diameter nose is desirable.

Structure 24 is provided for enabling relative movement of the jaws away from their closed position, FIGS. l-3, for the reception of a conductor, such as a wire or terminal, between the jaws. The structure 24 includes a joint construction 25 at which ends 26, 27 of the members 24, 15, respectively, are fixedly secured to each other and to the support assembly 16. As shown in FIG. 1, ends 26, 27 extend into a slot 28 formed in a conductive member of the support assembly 16. The ends 26, 27 are suitably fixed to each other and to the assembly 16,

' e.g., by welding, brazing or soldering, to form the joint construction 25. As the jaws 17, 18 move relative to each other,

'each jaw rotates about the center of rotation located approximately at the joint construction 25.

The jaws 17, 18 are normally urged to the position illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 by a biasing construction including spring elements 31, 32 formed by portions of the members 14, 15, respectively, and located between the jaws 17, 18 and the joint construction 25. Jaw-supporting portions 33, 34 of the members l4, 15 extend between each spring element and its associated jaw.

The spring element portions of the members 14, 15 are tensioned so that these portions always tend to move away from each other, but are restrained by engagement of the jaws 17, 18, either with each other when closed, or when engaging a wire or terminal. This tension results in the jaws 17, 18 being urged firmly together when in their closed position, and also cause the jaws to firmly grip a conductor disposed between them.

The jaw support portions 33, 34 define a crossover construction between the spring portions 31, 32, and the jaws 17, 18, respectively. The support portion 34 defines a cutout portion, indicated at 36, which registers with a cutout portion, indicated at 37, on the support portion 33. The registered cutout portions permit vertical alignment of the jaws 17, 18, see FIG. 2, and further assure that the jaws 17, 18 remain vertically aligned and free to move relatively toward and away from each other.

The insulating structure 13 includes a readily deformable plastic sleeve 40, shown in broken lines in FIGS. 1 and 2, which extends from the support assembly 16 to the jaws 17, 18 completely surrounding the members 14, 15. When it is desired to open the jaws 17, 18, the sleeve 40 is manually grasped and squeezed to urge the spring portions 31, 32 toward each other. This overcomes the tension of the spring portions and moves the jaws away from each other for the reception of a wire or terminal between them.

When the spring portions 31, 32 are released, the jaws 17, 18 are urged firmly into engagement with the wire or terminal received between them as the spring portions 31, 32 move toward a relaxed position.

The sleeve 40 is of a relatively high dielectric material to prevent electrical shocks to the user as well as to eliminate the possibility of a short circuit or the like which might otherwise occur should either members 14 or 15 contact another conductive member at a higher voltage level than the connector.

The connector 12 can be plugged into a jack opening and firmly maintained in the opening in electrical contact therewith. For this purpose, leaf springs 45, 46 are connected to the ends 50, 51 of the jaws 17, 18, respectively, and extend rearwardly along the jaws. Each of the leaf springs 45, 46 are connected to the ends 50, 51 of the jaws 17, 18, respectively, and extend rearwardly along the jaws. Each of the leaf springs 45, 46 includes an outwardly bowed portion 52 at which the leaf spring is spaced from the jaws, and an end portion 53 extending into or closely adjacent the exterior surface of the associated jaw. The leaf springs 45, 46 are slightly curved about their longitudinal axes to present an outwardly facing resiliently deflectable smoothly curved jack-engaging surface 54.

As seen in FIG. 1 the outwardly bowed portions 52 of the leaf springs are located well to the rear of the ends 51 of the jaws to enable easy insertion of the nose 22 into a female receptacle. The curved surface 54 on the leaf springs smoothly accommodates the cylindrical wall of the female opening into which the nose 22 is inserted.

FIG. 4 illustrates a conventional jack assembly 56 having the nose 22 of a connector inserted therein. The assembly 56 includes a jack body 57 which extends through a circular opening in a nonconducting panel P. The body 57 is maintained in firm contact with the panel P by a nut 58 which is disposed on threads formed on the body 57. The nut surrounds the body 57 on the interior side of the panel and tightened up against the panel P to draw an enlarged head portion 57A of the body into firm engagement with the opposite side of the panel P.

The body 57 is provided with an axially extending opening defining a cylindrical boundary 60 for establishing electrical contact with a male member inserted in the opening. The jack body 57 is electrically conductive and a wire 61 is fixed to the body 57 as is usual. When the nose 22 of the connector 12 is inserted into the jack assembly 56 the leaf springs 45, 46 resiliently engage the cylindrical boundary 60 in the jack body 57 to frictionally maintain the nose 22 of the connector 12 in the opening as well as to assure establishment of electrically conductive paths between the jaws l7, l8 and the jack body. It is apparent from FIG. 4 that the diameter of the circular nose 22 is slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the boundary 60 and that the outwardly bowed portions 52 of the leaf springs 45, 46, have a larger diametrical extent than the boundary 60. Consequently, when the nose is inserted into the jack opening the surfaces 54 of the bowed portions 52 are resiliently deflected radially inwardly to establish firm frictional contact with the boundary 60. The ends 53 of the leaf springs are urged into contact with the respective jaws to provide additional conductive paths to the jaws.

FIG. 5 illustrates another preferred construction of an electrical connector 64 embodying the present invention which is constructed from a single strip 65 of sheet metal. The connector 64 includes jaws 66, 67 formed continuously with the sheet metal strip 65 which are supported by sheet metal portions 70, 71 of the strip 65.

Structure is provided for enabling relative movement of the jaws 66, 67 toward and away from their closed position. This structure is in the form of a sheet metal portion 72 between ends of the support portions 70, 71 remote from the jaws. As shown in FIG. 5 the portion 72 is a continuous part of the sheet metal strip 65.

The portions 70, 71 each include a spring element portion 73 and a jaw supporting portion 74 between the spring element and the associated jaw. The spring elements 73 extend from the connecting portion 72 along bends 75 and are tensioned to be resiliently urged away from each other. This spring tension urges the jaws 66, 67 to the closed position.

The jaw support portions 74 define a crossover structure for maintaining the jaws vertically aligned during relative movement and when closed. The jaw supports 74 are of substantially the same construction referred to in the description of the connector in FIG. 1 and are therefore not described in detail.

A readily deformable plastic sleeve 76 (broken lines FIG. 5) surrounds the support portions 70, 71. The jaws are opened by manually grasping the sleeve 76 and squeezing'the spring element portions toward each other to spread the jaws apart. The sleeve 76 is a dielectric to avoid shocks and short circuits.

A l....d wire 11 is electrically connected to the connector 64 by a screw 80 which is threaded through a suitable opening in the connecting portion 72. The head screw bears against the wire to maintain electrical contact between the wire and connector. The sleeve 76 extends about the screw 80 so that-the screw and exposed wire at the end of the insulated lead wire are not exposed.

FIG. 6 illustrates the connector 64 at one state in its manufacture. As seen in the FIGURE, a rectangular blank B of sheet metal, which may be for example, laboratory quality stainless steel stamped to produce a screw receiving opening 90 substantially at the midpoint of the blank. Cutouts 91 are punched at locations on the blank corresponding to-the crossover portions and on opposite sides of the blank. The jaws 66, 67 are stamped with the teeth preformed along each side. The leaf spring portion 82 is shown as extending outwardly from the end of the jaw 67.

After the blank B is stamped the leaf spring 82 is formed and bent back along the jaw 67 along a bend line 92. Each jaw 66, 67 is then bent along the bend lines 93, 94, respectively, so that the teeth on the jaws extend out of the plane of the blank B. The jaw 66 is of smaller size than the jaw 67 and the teeth on the jaw 66 are bent to extend from the jaw generally as is shown in FIG. 3.

After the jaws are formed, the crossover sections are bent along the bend lines 93, 94 at each side of the cutouts 91.

After the crossover portions have been formed, the connecting portion 72 and adjacent spring portions 73 are bent along the line 75 so that the angle formed between the portion 72 and portions 73 are in excess of 90. The crossover portions are then overlapped, tensioning the spring portions 73 so that they extend at approximately 90 with respect to the plane of the portion 72 and are tensioned to resiliently urge the jaws 66, 67 to the closed position.

FIG. 5A illustrates the connector 64 having a wire disposed between the jaws and gripped by the jaws for electrical contact.

The connector 64 is usable as a male-plug-type connector for insertion in an electrical jack or similar receptible. The jaws 66, 67 are configured in substantially the same manner described above in reference to FIGS. 1 and 3 to define a generally cylindrical nose 81 extending forwardly from the jaw support portions 74.

The nose of the connector is frictionally maintained in electrical contact with the jack opening by a resilient surface on one jaw formed by a leaf spring element 82. The spring 82 is integrally formed with the jaw 67 from the sheet metal strip 65' and extends rearwardly along the upper surface of the jaw 67 as viewed in FIG. 5. The spring 82 includes an outwardly bowed portion 82 and an end portion 84 closely adjacent the jaw 67. The outwardly facing surface 82a of the spring 82 is slightly curved to smoothly engage the jack opening. When the nose of the connector 64 is inserted into a jack opening the leaf spring 82 resiliently engages the boundary of the jack opening, firmly urging the nose into electrical contact with the conductive boundary of the jack opening. When the spring 82 engages the boundary of the jack opening the spring 82 itself provides a conductive path between the jaw 67 and the boundary of the jack opening. Deflection of the spring 82 urges the jaw 66 into engagement with the jack opening to further ensure good electrical connection.

FIG. 7 illustrates connector 100 embodying the invention. The connector 100 includes a body 101 in a support assembly 102 for connecting the body 101 to a lead wire 11. The support assembly 102 is of a known commercially available construction and is not described in detail.

Body 101 includes a fixed lower jaw portion 103 and a jawsupporting portion 104. The jaw-supporting portion 104 is fixed to the assembly 102 by a brazed joint or the like so that electrical conduction between the body and the wire in the support assembly is ensured.

An upper jaw assembly 105 is carried on the body 101 and includes an upper jaw 106 and jaw support portion 107. The jaw assembly is manually movable relative to the body 101 to open the jaws 103, 106 and includes an operating lever portion 108 having an insulator 110 fixed to it to avoid electrical shocks to the user. The body 101 and assembly 105 are joined by a connecting structure in the formof a hinge 111 which enables the relative movement between the jaws. The jaw support 105 provides downwardly extending tabs 113 which are spaced apart and received between a pair of upwardly extending tabs 114 on the body 101. The tabs 113, 114 define aligned circular openings through which a pivot pin extends. The pin 120 is preferably a rivet which is fixed to the tab 114 and loosely received in the tabs 113 so that the jaw assembly 105 is freely pivotable about the rivet.

The jaws 103,106 are biased toward their closed position by a helical spring 121 which surrounds the rivet 120. The ends 121a, 12lb of the spring extend away from the helix and into contact with the body 101 and the upper jaw assembly 105. The spring'is tensioned so that its ends normally urge the jaws into the closed position illustrated in FIG. 1. The level portion 108 is manually depressed to overcome the force of the spring 121 and open the jaws.

The jaws 103, 106 are of substantially the same construction described above and define, in the closed position, a generally cylindrical nose 122 on the connector. The nose 122 is of an appropriate size for plugging into a jack opening.

Resilient surfaces are provided on the jaws for maintaining frictional and electrical engagement between the jaws and jack opening. Those surfaces are defined by leaf springs 125, 126 fixed to the jaws 103, 106, respectively. The leaf springs 125, 126 are of the same construction referred to above in reference to FIGS. 1-6 and further description of them is therefore unnecessary except to point out that they may be attached to the jaws by a mechanical connection or continuous with the jaws.

It can now be seen that a new and improved electrical connector has been provided which is effective to establish contact with conductors such as a wire or terminal by gripping the conductor between electrically conductive jaws and which is also effective as a male-type plug connector when inserted into a jack opening jack the like. Although three embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described in considerable detail, the present invention is not to be considered to be limited to the precise constructions shown.

what is claimed is:

1. In an electrical connector for releasably gripping a conductor element and which is insertable in a jack opening for establishing electrical contact therewith:

a. electrically conductive jaws having a normally closed position in which said jaws coextend adjacent each other;

b. structure connecting said jaws together for relative movement away fromsaid position for reception of a conductor therebetween;

c. biasing means for urging said jaws to said position and resisting relative movement of said jaws away from said position;

d. said biasing means effective to maintain said jaws in gripping electrical contact with a conductor element received therebetween; and,

e. means defining atleast a resiliently deflectable surface on one of said jaws, said resiliently deflectable surface engageable with a boundary of a surrounding jack opening for resiliently urging said connector into electrically conductive contact with said boundary.

2. In a connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein said connector is defined by a single continuous strip of conductive material, said biasing means defined by spring strip portions urged away from each other, and said resiliently deflectable surface provided by a length of said strip defined at an end of one jaw and further including crossover portions between each spring strip portion and an associated jaw whereby said jaws are urged together by said spring portions.

3. In a connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein said resiliently deflectable surface is defined by a spring element attached to one of said jaws.

4. A connector as claimed in claim 3 wherein said spring element is a leaf spring attached to said jaw at one end and having a second end disposed adjacent said jaw remote from said first end, said spring element further including a bowed portion intermediate said ends and spaced from said jaw.

5. A connector as claimed in claim 3 wherein said spring element is comprised of electrically conductive material and establishes an electrically conductive path between said jaw and said boundary.

6. A connector as claimed in claim 5 wherein said spring element and said jaw are formed from a single sheet of conductive material 7. In a connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein there are two jaws each having a generally U-like cross-sectional shape said jaws defining a generally cylindrical nose of said connector when in said closed position.

8. In a connector as claimed in claim 7 wherein there is a resiliently deflectable surface on each of said jaws, each of said surfaces defined by a spring element attached to each jaw.

9. in a connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein one of said jaws is defined by a body portion of said connector and said structure connecting said jaws comprises a hinge construction enabling rotation of a second jaw toward and away from said one aw.

10. In a connector as claimed in claim 9 wherein said biasing means comprises a spring member cooperating with said hinge structure, said spring member including a first end acting against said body portion and a second end acting against a part of said second jaw to urge said jaws together. 

1. In an electrical connector for releasably gripping a conductor element and which is insertable in a jack opening for establishing electrical contact therewith: a. electrically conductive jaws having a normally closed position in which said jaws coextend adjacent each other; b. structure connecting said jaws together for relative movement away from said position for reception of a conductor therebetween; c. biasing means for urging said jaws to said position and resisting relative movement of said jaws away from said position; d. said biasing means effective to maintain said jaws in gripping electrical contact with a conductor element received therebetween; and, e. means defining at least a resiliently deflectable surface on one of said jaws, said resiliently deflectable surface engageable with a boundary of a surrounding jack opening for resiliently urging said connector into electrically conductive contact with said boundary.
 2. In a connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein said connector is defined by a single continuous strip of conductive material, said biasing means defined by spring strip portions urged away from each other, and said resiliently deflectable surface provided by a length of said strip defined at an end of one jaw and further including crossover portions between each spring strip portion and an associated jaw whereby said jaws are urged together by said spring portions.
 3. In a connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein said resiliently deflectable surface is defined by a spring element attached to one of said jaws.
 4. A connector as claimed in claim 3 wherein said spring element is a leaf spring attached to said jaw at one end and having a second end disposed adjacent said jaw remote from said first end, said spring element further including a bowed portion intermediate said ends and spaced from said jaw.
 5. A connector as claimed in claim 3 wherein said spring element is comprised of electrically conductive material and establishes an electrically conductive path between said jaw and said boundary.
 6. A connector as claimed in claim 5 wherein said spring element and said jaw are formed from a single sheet of conductive material.
 7. In a connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein there are two jaws each having a generally U-like cross-sectional shape, said jaws defining a generally cylindrical nose of said connector when in said closed position.
 8. In a connector as claimed in claim 7 wherein there is a resiliently deflectable surface on each of said jaws, each of said surfaces defined by a spring element attached to each jaw.
 9. In a connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein one of said jaws is defined by a body portion of said connector and said structure connecting said jaws comprises a hinge construction enabling rotation of a second jaw toward and away from said one jaw.
 10. In a connector as claimed in claim 9 wherein said biasing means comprises a spring member cooperating with said hinge structure, said spring member including a first end acting against said body portion and a second end acting against a part of said second jaw to urge said jaws together. 